Fire-escape



E. WATTS.

FIRE BSGAPE.

(No Model.)

No. 314,355. Patented Mar. 24, 1885.

V'" d INVENTOR: MOM/w .2 Fag g ATTORNEYS.

.UNITED STATES.

PATENT Erich.

EPHRAIM WATTS, OF MIDDLETOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, 314,355, dated. liIarch 24, 1885.

Application tiled May 14, 1884. (No model.)

To all 1072,0172, it may concern:

Be it known that I, EPHRAIM WATTS, of Middletown, in the county ofDauphin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Fire-Escapes, 850., of which the following isafull,clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to fire-escapes in which a car or receptacle isfitted to move up and down a portable frame or support placed on oragainst the outside of a building; and it consists in the peculiarconstruction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully described,and pointed out in the claim.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part ofthisspecification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 represents a vertical section at right angles to the face ofthe structure of my improved fire-escape; Fig. 2, a front or face viewof the same, and Fig. 3 a horizontal section on the line :0 m in Fig. 2.

A A indicate two parallel skids, suitably braced or united together, andforming the sides of the device, as also the ways up and down which thecar or carriage B is designed to moveas, for instance, by cross-bars bon the back of the carfitted to slide in a groove, 0, in the inner sideof each skid.

The united skids constitute the frame or support of the device, whichmay either occupy a vertical or inclined position when in use, and itstop be placed against the eXterior wall of the house or other building,or against any of the different story Windows.

To facilitate its being run up to its place the device is provided, ator near its top, with a guiding-roller, 0, arranged to project slightlyabove or in the rear of it, so as to move freely up over the outside ofthe building. This will be found a great convenience in quickly placingthe device.

The lower ends of the skids are provided with downwardly-projecting pins01 d to enter the ground or street surface, and so prevent the devicefrom slipping when placed in position for use.

The car 13 is conveniently constructed for access and safety of theperson using it. Ordinarily it is not designed to carry more than oneperson. Attached to its bottom and extending up its back or in rear ofits lower guiding cross-bar, b, is a bent rod or bolt, 0, terminating atits top in an eye for attachment of the rope D, by which the car israised or lowered. This rope runs from the car up over an upper rolleror pulley, E, and down back and under a lower roller or pulley, Ffandfrom thence out in front, where said rope is drawn upon by hand of oneor more men to hoist the car and to con trol its descent. These rollersE and F, as also the roller 0, are all carried by the main frame, and,if made of wood, may have metal coverings at their ends, with attachedpivots to provide for the easy running of them.

A fire-escape thus constructed can be very easily applied and rapidlyworked with but a small expenditure of labor, and there is no liabilityof its getting out of order. It may not only be used as a fire-escape,but also as a means for raising and lowering men and goods in variousbuilding operations-as, for instance, for carrying slate, stone, brick,shingles, 8m, and for painters use-by, if necessary, placing a plankacross the car; and itfurthermore may be used for cleaning windows fromthe outside of a building. When used for these outside purposes orcertain of 80 desired, be wound on a cleat attached to the car to takeup and let out slack, as required.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- In a fire-escape, the combination, with the skids A,having the longitudinal grooves c, and provided with the roller G, andthe puleys E F, of the car B, provided with the cross-bar I), having itsends projecting into the grooves of the skids, the bolt 0, secured tothe car, and the rope D, secured to the bolt, and passing over andaround the pulleys, substantially as herein shown and described.

WVitnesses: EPHRAIM \VATTS.

SAML. L. YETTER, W. H; BYLER.

